Sphingosine 1-phosphate (SIP) is a lysophospholipid mediator that evokes a variety of cellular responses by stimulation of five members of the endothelial cell differentiation gene (EDG) receptor family. The EDG receptors are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) and on stimulation propagate second messenger signals via activation of heterotrimeric G-protein alpha (Gα) subunits and beta-gamma (Gβγ) dimers. Ultimately, this SIP-driven signaling results in cell survival, increased cell migration and, often, mitogenesis. The recent development of agonists targeting SIP receptors has provided insight regarding the role of this signaling system in physiologic homeostasis. For example, the immunomodulator, FTY720 (2-amino-2-[2-(4-octylphenyl)ethyl]propane 1,3-diol), that following phosphorylation, is an agonist at 4 of 5 SIP receptors, revealed that enhancing SIP tone influences lymphocyte trafficking. Further, SIP type 1 receptor (SIP1) antagonists cause leakage of the lung capillary endothelium, which suggests that SIP may be involved in maintaining the integrity of the endothelial barrier in some tissue beds.
SIP has been demonstrated to induce many cellular processes, including those that result in platelet aggregation, cell proliferation, cell morphology, tumor-cell invasion, endothelial cell chemotaxis and angiogenesis. For these reasons, SIP receptors are good targets for therapeutic applications such as wound healing and tumor growth inhibition.
Sphingosine-1-phosphate signals cells in part via a set of G protein-coupled receptors named SIP1, SIP2, SIP3, SIP4, and SIP5 (formerly EDG1, EDG2, EDG3, EDG6 and EDG8). The EDG receptors are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) and on stimulation propagate second messenger signals via activation of heterotrimeric G-protein alpha (Gα) subunits and beta-gamma (Gβγ) dimers. These receptors share 50-55% amino acid sequence identity and cluster with three other receptors (LPA1, LPA2, and LPA3 (formerly EDG2, EDG4 and EDG7) for the structurally related lysophosphatidic acid (LPA).
A conformational shift is induced in the G-Protein Coupled Receptor (GPCR) when the ligand binds to that receptor, causing GDP to be replaced by GTP on the α-subunit of the associated G-proteins and subsequent release of the G-proteins into the cytoplasm. The α-subunit then dissociates from the βγ-subunit and each subunit can then associate with effector proteins, which activate second messengers leading to a cellular response. Eventually the GTP on the G-proteins is hydrolyzed to GDP and the subunits of the G-proteins reassociate with each other and then with the receptor. Amplification plays a major role in the general GPCR pathway. The binding of one ligand to one receptor leads to the activation of many G-proteins, each capable of associating with many effector proteins leading to an amplified cellular response.
SIP receptors make good drug targets because individual receptors are both tissue and response specific. Tissue specificity of the SIP receptors is desirable because development of an agonist or antagonist selective for one receptor localizes the cellular response to tissues containing that receptor, limiting unwanted side effects. Response specificity of the SIP receptors is also of importance because it allows for the development of agonists or antagonists that initiate or suppress certain cellular responses without affecting other responses. For example, the response specificity of the SIP receptors could allow for an SIP mimetic that initiates platelet aggregation without affecting cell morphology.
Sphingosine-1-phosphate is formed as a metabolite of sphingosine in its reaction with sphingosine kinase and is stored in abundance in the aggregates of platelets where high levels of sphingosine kinase exist and sphingosine lyase is lacking. SIP is released during platelet aggregation, accumulates in serum, and is also found in malignant ascites. Reversible biodegradation of SIP most likely proceeds via hydrolysis by ectophosphohydrolases, specifically the sphingosine 1-phosphate phosphohydrolases. Irreversible degradation of SIP is catalyzed by SIP lyase yielding ethanolamine phosphate and hexadecenal.
A class of SIP agonist compounds are described in provisional U.S. Application No. 60/956,111, filed Aug. 15, 2007, and PCT/US2008/073378, filed Aug. 15, 2008, each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.